Zheng Yunfeng's overwhelming fist force tore toward Gao Han with lightning speed, and Lin Jingyi's rescue arrived too late. Though Gao Han knew he stood no chance of survival, he stared at Zheng Yunfeng with frigid indifference, his eyes blazing with murderous resolve.
At the very moment his life hung by a thread, a figure materialized before him. With a mere lift of his right hand and a gentle forward block, the devastating punch was completely nullified, not a wisp of energy stirring in the air.
"Zheng Yunfeng! Who granted you the right to slaughter fellow disciples upon Drifting Peak?" The figure's tone carried a faint undercurrent of anger.
At the sight of their master, both Zheng Yunfeng and Lin Jingyi hastily bowed deeply. "Greetings, Master!" The newcomer was none other than Li Changtian, Lord of Drifting Peak.
Gao Han fixed his gaze upon Li Changtian, his face devoid of the joy of one who had escaped death, cold and steady as he spoke. "Lord Li, how fares my younger sister?"
Lin Jingyi and Zheng Yunfeng froze in astonishment—this man truly was Younger Sister Gao Yang's brother! Lin Jingyi recovered her composure swiftly, her expression barely shifting. But the murderous glint in Zheng Yunfeng's eyes grew denser by the second.
Li Changtian saw Gao Han's demeanor and knew precisely what he was thinking, his heart skipping a beat. For years, he had never taken a pupil so earnestly, and in recent days he had discovered that Gao Yang possessed not only an exceptional elemental physique but also unparalleled talent in alchemy. He cherished this disciple more than any other, lavishing her with the utmost care.
Upon realizing her peerless gift for alchemy, Li Changtian had elevated Gao Yang from an inner-sect disciple to his personal protégé, her status nearly on par with that of core disciples.
Yet if Gao Han were to die here this day, all his efforts would be for naught. The girl would turn from a devoted apprentice to a bitter enemy, hating him for the rest of his days.
Li Changtian cleared his throat lightly, forcing a smile. "Gao Han! Ha, what a pleasant surprise to see you again. This is indeed the fault of my disciples—you have my apologies for your suffering. How would you have this matter resolved?"
Li Changtian's conduct astonished Lin Jingyi, while Zheng Yunfeng stared at his master with resentment simmering in his gaze. "Master, I protest! His strength is beneath mine; my victory over him is only just. Yet you favor the weak and punish the strong! Are you showing favoritism?"
Zheng Yunfeng knew full well that if he fell into Gao Han's hands, he would suffer a fate worse than death. Thus, he hastily draped the accusation of corruption over Li Changtian.
A flicker of anger crossed Li Changtian's face, and he prepared to rebuke Zheng Yunfeng—until Gao Han's icy voice cut through the air. "You speak truly; this world bows to strength. Yet Zheng Yunfeng, you flaunt your power only because you have cultivated for years longer than I, and you dare threaten my life. I swear upon my honor that I shall not rest until this grudge is repaid."
Li Changtian frowned slightly. "What would you have done, then?" Lin Jingyi thought him unreasonable—did he expect Li Changtian to kill Zheng Yunfeng? She felt a flicker of disdain for him.
Zheng Yunfeng's pupils constricted. Does he mean to ask that old fool Li Changtian to slay me? If push comes to shove, I shall call upon the one behind me for aid.
Gao Han cared nothing for their inner musings, even had he known them. "Zheng Yunfeng, let us meet upon the Life-and-Death Arena six months from now for a battle to the death. Do you dare?"
Every sect housed a Life-and-Death Arena. When disciples harbored irreconcilable hatred, they might settle their score there with mutual consent. Victory meant life; defeat meant death—such was the unyielding law of the arena.
"Gao Han! You—" Li Changtian sighed inwardly. The boy was a prodigy, yet far too impulsive. Defeating Zheng Yunfeng in half a year was nigh impossible.
Gao Han smiled coldly. "My decision is made; it shall not be altered."
Though Lin Jingyi admired his resolve, she deemed him reckless and foolish.
Zheng Yunfeng burst into laughter, eager to lock Gao Han into his vow. "I dare! I shall grant you this chance. On the Life-and-Death Arena six months hence, you shall perish without doubt!"
Li Changtian let out a long sigh. "Gao Han, you came here to see your sister, did you not? I shall lead you to her."
Gao Han's expression turned frosty. "There is no need. Tell her I have urgent business and cannot visit her for the time being." He pulled forth fifty thousand taels in banknotes and handed them to Li Changtian. "This is money our parents left for her. Please pass it to her. I shall take my leave now."
Without turning his head, Gao Han strode out of Drifting Peak's bounds and headed for the Outer Sect Hall, leaving the three upon the peak with complex expressions etched across their faces.
Lin Jingyi watched his retreating figure, a strange glint flickering in her eyes. The boy possessed remarkable manly courage, she thought.
Zheng Yunfeng turned and bowed to Li Changtian. "Master, if there is nothing else, this disciple shall take his leave." Li Changtian nodded faintly, and Zheng Yunfeng vanished amid leaps across the mountain ridges.
Li Changtian sighed softly. "Zheng Yunfeng's Eight Steps of Unimpeded Progress grow ever more proficient. His strength must be nearing the Third Layer of True Essence. Gao Han stands in grave peril."
"Master, have you uncovered which peak Zheng Yunfeng serves as a spy for?" Lin Jingyi asked, her face grave. Li Changtian's expression darkened as well. "Not yet. I have only confirmed he is not an agent of Misty Peak. But I have yet to gather solid evidence of his treachery."
"Enough of this. Jingyi, go to Gao Han and inform him of Zheng Yunfeng's true cultivation. I hope he will reconsider his foolish vow."
"Yes, Master." Lin Jingyi bowed respectfully and sped down the mountain.
Gao Han was no fool. Zheng Yunfeng had to die, and he sought to pressure himself into breaking through to the True Essence Realm as swiftly as possible.
In the Outer Sect Hall:
"Elder, I wish to purchase a sword," Gao Han said, bowing slightly to an outer-sect elder.
The Outer Sect Hall served not only as a testing ground but also as a depot where outer-sect disciples could procure supplies and weapons—for a price, of course.
The elder glanced at Gao Han and smiled warmly. "Ah, Gao Han! What sort of longsword do you seek?"
Since Gao Han's defeat of Gu Yunbie, the outer sect's number one expert, his name had spread like wildfire. All across the outer sect, everyone knew of the young prodigy who had humbled Hua Meiniang, defeated Gu Yunli, and gravely wounded Gu Yunbie. In a single day, he had risen from obscurity to become the undisputed strongest warrior of the outer sect.
"Elder, what is the finest mortal-grade longsword available here, and how much does it cost?" Gao Han asked, glancing at the weapons displayed on the walls.
"The finest mortal-grade sword in the Misty Sect is the Steelpoint Sword. Forged from exceptionally resilient steelpoint metal, it is unyielding and ranks among the pinnacle of mortal-grade weapons. It is rather pricey—three thousand taels of silver. If you lack the silver on hand, you may pay in installments…"
The elder rambled on enthusiastically about the blade, leaving Gao Han slightly exasperated.
He waved a hand to cut him off. "Enough, Elder. I shall take this one." After paying, Gao Han took the sword and left the Misty Sect's mountain gate, heading deep into the Qiling Mountains.
Shortly after Gao Han's departure, Lin Jingyi arrived at the Outer Sect Hall after repeated inquiries. "Elder Han, where is Gao Han?"
"He bought a sword and left. I know not where he went, but you may ask his handyman disciple, Wu Yan."
After further questioning, Lin Jingyi finally learned that Gao Han had ventured into the Qiling Mountains. She had no choice but to abandon her search. Rumors soon spread throughout the sect that the inner-sect disciple Lin Jingyi and Gao Han were deeply in love.
The Qiling Mountains were the largest range in the Cangnan Region, stretching for tens of millions of li with countless jagged peaks, nearly ten thousand in total. Within these vast mountains lived countless varieties of demonic beasts. Each year, disciples from major sects ventured here to hunt them, yet their numbers never dwindled.
The Misty Sect occupied only a small stretch of the outer Qiling Mountains. Had it been built deeper within, its disciples would have been devoured by hordes of demonic beasts long ago. For the mountains housed beasts of terrifying power, capable of annihilating an entire sect without effort.
Swish, swish, swish! Gao Han's sword flickered, its light blazing as demonic beasts were cleaved in two one after another. Their blood stained his sword, turning it into a blade of crimson.
"…Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred!" Gao Han ceased his swings. "One hundred beasts slain at last. The strongest among them are no higher than eighth-tier. Their ranks are far too low—their pelts fetch little, and they are unworthy foes to spur my growth."
Demonic beasts, like humans, were ranked. Tier One to Tier Nine corresponded to the Qi Condensation Realm; beyond that lay elite demonic beasts. Once a beast shapeshifted into human form, its realm titles matched those of human cultivators.
Since entering the Qiling Mountains, Gao Han had killed without pause. In just three days, he had slain a hundred demonic beasts, targeting only those of Tier Seven or higher. He could not possibly carry the pelts and bones of so many low-tier creatures. In truth, only a dozen of the hundred beasts held any real value.
Gao Han sheathed his sword, packed away the valuable parts of the dozen beasts, and leaped thirty zhang into the air, landing upon a towering ancient tree. He stowed his haul in a wooden shelf among the branches, then dropped back to the ground, preparing to venture deeper into the mountains to hunt powerful Tier Nine demonic beasts.
He pressed further inward, slaying any beast foolish enough to provoke him. Days passed.
"Is my luck truly this wretched? Three days of travel, and not a single Tier Nine beast in sight." Gao Han dispatched a Tier Eight beast with a casual strike. The past three days had been even worse than before, filled with nothing but low-tier fiends—this was the first Tier Eight he had encountered, the rest mere Tier Four and Five creatures.
What Gao Han did not know was that he had stepped into the territory of a First-Grade demonic beast. In the Qiling Mountains, every high-ranked beast claimed its own domain; the stronger the beast, the larger its territory.
As he prepared to harvest materials from the Tier Eight beast, a sudden sense of dread washed over him. He gripped his sword tightly, tensing for danger.
A deafening roar echoed in the distance, and thundering footsteps drew rapidly near.
Moments later, the beast emerged a mere ten meters from Gao Han. He finally laid eyes upon his foe.
It was a wolf covered in crimson fur, over three meters long and one and a half meters tall, its pupils burning red, its fangs glinting with cold light as vile saliva dripped from its jaws.
Gao Han's heart tightened. "A First-Grade demonic beast—the Crimson Wind Wolf!"
First-Grade beasts equaled the True Essence Realm in power. Though the Crimson Wind Wolf was the weakest of all First-Grade beasts, it was still a transcendent demonic creature.
Gao Han frowned. While the Crimson Wind Wolf stood at the bottom of the First-Grade hierarchy, it possessed one fearsome advantage: unparalleled speed. Gao Han doubted he could outrun it.
His sword trembled, and he charged forward at once. Strike first to gain the upper hand. Knowing he could not match its speed, he resolved to fight with all his might. Since his cultivation had advanced, he had yet to test the full extent of his power.
Gao Han swung his sword violently toward the wolf's head. The Crimson Wind Wolf tensed its claws and leaped high into the air, evading the strike. Gao Han's eyes narrowed, and he shifted his sword into the tenth form of the Soul-Breaking Sword Art, slashing upward at the wolf's exposed underbelly. Aerial and unable to alter course freely, the beast should have been unable to dodge.
But a First-Grade beast was far from powerless. The Crimson Wind Wolf opened its maw and unleashed a thick, pitch-black stream of demonic qi, as dense as an arm, hurtling toward Gao Han like a deadly arrow.
Like humans, demonic beasts at the First-Grade realm could unleash long-range attacks. Higher-ranked beasts refined their demonic qi into demonic cores of devastating power. It was said that a beast with a fully formed demonic core could level a hundred-li mountain with ease.
Gao Han's heart jolted. He abandoned his attack at once and activated the Glimmering Shadow form of the Phantom Stride, darting sideways at blinding speed. The moment he landed, the spot he had occupied was blasted into a five-foot-deep crater by the wolf's qi.
The Crimson Wind Wolf landed and charged at Gao Han, swiping its claws toward him. Gao Han spun away, his sword arcing upward in the Soul-Breaking River Surge. The wolf's claws, wreathed in demonic qi, met the sword mid-strike.
The force of the collision sent both combatants reeling. In that instant, Gao Han channeled his left hand into the Ice Peak Roar and slammed a palm into the wolf's body.
The Crimson Wind Wolf slid back merely one meter, while Gao Han was thrown back six. Yet his palm had struck home solidly.
Frigid qi rampaged through the wolf's body, wreaking havoc unchecked. The beast howled in agony from the freezing pain. But a moment later, it shook violently, expelling the cold energy with a surge of demonic qi. Though Gao Han's frost power was fierce, it was still inner qi from a Qi Condensation cultivator, its chill too weak to withstand the wolf's power.
While the cold had been expelled, the wolf had suffered severe frostbite.
Rage consumed the beast, its eyes glowing blood-red. It charged at Gao Han with terrifying speed—so swift that even True Essence First Layer warriors who lacked speed-based arts could not keep up, forced to endure its attacks helplessly.
But today, it faced Gao Han, who had comprehended the Intent of Shadow. Activating Glimmering Shadow, he matched the wolf's speed move for move.
The Crimson Wind Wolf slashed its claws downward at Gao Han, its talons glinting with metallic cold, their sharpness and toughness beyond doubt.
Gao Han raised his sword to block the strike, coiled his right leg, and infused his knee with surging qi. He drove his knee upward into the wolf's underbelly with the Roaring Torrent technique. The blow sent the beast flying.
Staggering to its feet, the Crimson Wind Wolf stared at Gao Han with pure hatred. The knee strike had inflicted grave damage—its belly bore the thinnest fur, and the force of the impact had ruptured its internal organs. The freezing qi compounded its agony, leaving it barely able to stand.
Letting out a wretched howl, the wolf drew in the surrounding spiritual energy at a frantic pace.
Moments later, it lifted its head and spat a stream of demonic qi at Gao Han. This time, the qi was not thick and bulky, but thin as a finger, yet exuded an eerie menace—it was crimson, not black.
Having unleashed this attack, the Crimson Wind Wolf collapsed weakly to the ground, motionless save for its hateful eyes fixed on Gao Han, as if longing to see its foe die before it.
"Glimmering Shadow!" Gao Han dodged without hesitation. He knew all too well that the unusual was inherently ominous; the unknown was the deadliest threat of all.
Despite his blinding speed, the crimson qi blazed with scorching heat and closed in even faster. The attack grazed his arm before he could fully evade it. A searing wave of fire surged up his limb and into his body, tearing through his meridians.
Gao Han felt as if his insides were burning, his body on the verge of melting. Yet he stood firm, gritting his teeth in silence, channeling every wisp of frigid qi to push back the fiery energy.
But the heat was overwhelmingly powerful. It persisted even after Gao Han exhausted all his inner qi, though its strength had diminished significantly.
The fiery energy rampaged through his body, finally surging toward his dantian—the very foundation of a warrior's cultivation. Lose the dantian, and all hope of cultivation was lost forever.
Gao Han sensed the danger, yet with no qi left to defend himself, he could do nothing. At that critical moment, the ice pearl above his dantian stirred.
Waves of biting cold emanated from the pearl, wrapping around the fiery energy. The heat attempted to resist, crashing into a tendril of frost—only to be frozen halfway upon contact.
The cold closed in without mercy. In the blink of an eye, the fiery energy was encased in ice within his dantian, its scorching power utterly annihilated. Only pure, raw strength remained, slowly absorbed by the ice pearl.